Except
by half-breedMiralian
Summary: Everyone else he hated. Except for Honoka, of course. And perhaps...no, impossible. Was it? NatsuxKenichi.


**Except…**

He hated them. Loud-mouthed, obnoxious idiots. Never leaving him alone. The alien was always using up someone else's resources for his own reasons. The ex-Ragnarok members wouldn't shut up. The boxer and his friend constantly treated him like he was their friend. And the worst part was that none of them ever listened to him when he told them to leave him alone.

Natsu Tanimoto sighed in frustration as he barely listened to the Shinpaku Alliance's next battle plan in the struggle against Yami. How could those idiots still trust him? They _knew_ that he and his master had joined the organization, so why did they still invite him to these meetings?

"Ne, Nacchi!" Honoka, obviously bored with the exchange of words, bounced over to him and flung herself into his lap. "Play with me?"

Ah, yes. There was an exception. This girl. This bright-eyed, spirited child who seemed to brighten his day no matter what kind of mood he was in. This time he sighed in weariness and placed a hand on her head. "Not now."

There was an odd gleam in her eyes. "Tired?" He nodded slowly in confirmation. "Oh. Well, call me when you're feeling up to a game of Othello. I could always use another trip to the amusement park." She was referring to every single time he'd lost to her in that stupid game (he didn't want to admit it, but he'd been practicing playing it by himself).

Natsu rolled his eyes and sank back into the couch. Niijima had furnished the building well, he had to admit (the alien had used Kisara's money and resources). Almost every room, aside for the training gym, was filled with items of leisure and comfort. Sly bastard knew how to live in style. Somehow, though, the place seemed empty. He looked around, wondering why it didn't seem as lively. _Ah. Where's Shirahama?_

He blinked several times as though his mind had just smacked him. He noticed that the idiot was missing? What, was the world coming to an end? He bit his lip. Come to think of it, whenever that fool wasn't around, he didn't have much energy.

"Ya know…"

He jumped. He'd forgotten that Honoka was still sitting on his lap. The girl was grinning slyly. He could feel blood rushing to his cheeks, but he quickly calmed himself. "What is it, brat?"

"Ya know," she repeated, "you always seem bored and tired when my brother's not here."

_Damn. She noticed?_ "It's your imagination," he grumbled, looking away from her knowing eyes.

"Do you really hate him?" she asked, poking his stomach, something that she knew he hated.

"You already know the answer," Natsu snapped. "Go away." He knew he wouldn't get rid of her that easily.

"Mmm, I don't think I do," Honoka giggled, curling up in his lap. Natsu's arms instinctively curled around her and he cursed himself for having such weakness. She was just too much like his sister. Oh, well. If any of those Shinpaku fools looked his way, he'd have a reason to kill them. Honoka closed her eyes and said, "Haven't you realized that you're always cranky when he's not around? And you seem sluggish. But when he turns up, _I_ see that light in your eyes. You notice him. And even though he's the first one to initiate a conversation between you two, you always respond enthusiastically, even if you tell him off."

Natsu looked down sharply at the girl in his arms. What was she saying?

"If I call you Natsu-chan, you bear with it 'cause you have to," the younger Shirahama sibling said, grinning. "But when he calls you that, you spring at the chance to argue with him. I see you reach out and hit him or throw him. You're only using his friendly nature as a reason to argue with him. Because he likes talking to you, you have a reason to touch him. Physical contact is allowed because it's part of your nature to hurt people who annoy you."

_Damn! What the hell is she getting at? How does she notice these things? And why the hell does she sound so philosophical?_ Natsu could feel himself panicking. If someone else was noticing his actions, then that was bad. He wasn't even sure what was wrong with him.

"Ah, you were just wondering how I notice this stuff. And why I sound so smart." Honoka hit his thoughts right on the mark. "I guess it's because of big bro's mustache master. He's really good at reading people and I pick up a thing or two. But don't worry. No one else noticed, and I won't tell."

Like _that_ was supposed to put his heart at ease.

Honoka sighed. "So you don't hate him, that's for sure. Then you must like him as a friend." Her grin widened and she waggled her eyebrows. "Or maybe it's more than just 'like', if you know what I mean."

Natsu stood abruptly and Honoka was thrown (gently) off his lap and onto the couch. He left the room and went down the hallway to the stairwell. _Stupid girl,_ he gripped. _Making stupid assumptions like that. _In truth, his soul was shaken. First of all, he didn't like Kenichi, much less anyone. They were all idiots. And second of all, Kenichi was a…a _boy._ He stopped walking down the stairs and almost growled. _That brat just says you like him and you're worrying about the fact that he's male?_

Quick footsteps coming up the stone steps made him pause in his thoughts and he peered over the railing. His heartbeat quickened. _Dammit. Speak of the devil…_

Here came that unruly brown head, an excited light sparkling in his eyes. Natsu had forgotten to mask his presence, apparently, because Kenichi looked up and smiled at the other boy. _Damn._

"Hey! Where're you going?" the shorter martial artist said, quickly coming up the stairs, closing the distance. "Aren't you gonna stay?"

Natsu found that he couldn't look his classmate in the eyes and focused on the wall at his side. "Your sister's annoying me. I'm going home. I have homework."

"Oh, Honoka?" Kenichi shrugged. "She's always talking about you. It's like you've become her brother." He smiled. "But she's a nice girl. But homework? Is it math? You want to help me? I'm having a bit of—"

"No," Natsu said bluntly, cutting the other boy off.

"Aw, c'mon, Natsu-chan!" Kenichi said. "Don't be so selfish with your knowledge." He patted the blonde's shoulder.

Every single word Honoka had said flooded back into Natsu's mind. He grabbed Kenichi's arm and collar and flipped him over the railing without a second thought. Then he realized what he'd done and quickly looked over. There was Kenichi, balancing lightly on the thin metal railing. The boy looked up at Natsu and grinned. "As expected from Natsu-chan."

Natsu let out a small sigh and shook his head. _What is _wrong_ with me today?_ He never cared how hard he threw Shirahama or _where_ he threw him. Normally he just did it without thinking, but for some reason, no thanks to Honoka, he was now acutely aware of this boy's presence; every single move he made, every blink of his eyes, he was aware of.

Once again, Kenichi started up the stairs and stopped on the step below Natsu's. "Hey, you alright?"

Natsu blinked several times and finally forgot to keep his mind calm. He was too close! The blood rushed to his cheeks and he lost his cool; he stammered and stepped back. His heel caught on the step and he toppled back. Kenichi squawked and reached out. His hand snagged the taller boy's collar, but he was pulled down as well.

Kenichi landed hard on the boy and Natsu shut his eyes, waiting for the blow to the back of his head by the concrete. It never came. Kenichi's arms wrapped around his head and shielded him from any injury. There was a sickening _crack_ that churned Natsu's stomach.

Kenichi's body went stiff and they lay still on the stairs, both breathing heavily from the adrenalin rush. Natsu didn't care what was happening; he lost his senses for the briefest of moments and breathed in Kenichi's scent. Strong. Pure. Then he remembered the loud noise and sat up, pushing Kenichi up as well.

He was practically unconscious. Blood dripped from the brunette's forehead and Natsu cursed. Slinging one of his arms over his shoulder, he lugged the boy back upstairs to the bathroom. He let the barely conscious fighter sit on a chair (he admitted again that Niijima _really_ knew how to furnish a place, especially the bathroom) and ran some water. He grabbed several paper towels, wet them, and then came back.

As he lightly dabbed the head wound, he considered what Honoka had said. Like this boy? This pathetic, weak, big-hearted boy who wanted to protect everything and everyone? He tried to trust as much as possible, unless proven wrong. No, wait. That wasn't the case. Natsu chuckled almost fondly; Kenichi _still_ trusted, even if the person was the enemy. _Like me,_ he thought, throwing the paper towels out and getting more.

Kenichi winced at one of the more forceful dabs and he groaned. Natsu didn't say anything, but he withdrew his arm quickly and watched the boy. Kenichi blinked a few times before his pupils focused on Natsu's face. Then, with a silly, but worried smile, he asked, "Did you get hurt anywhere?"

It was as if something clicked on in Hermit's brain. _This selfless, foolish, kind, idiotic fool…_It all raced through his head as he leaned forward and brushed his lips against Kenichi's. This boy, aside from Honoka, was possibly one of the only exceptions he could stand. Possibly…Damn, his lips were so _warm…_

And then as though he'd been shocked, Natsu just as quickly jumped back. Kenichi's eyes had gone wide and he seemed petrified. Natsu's mouth opened and he tried to think of something to say, but nothing came to mind. There was no snappy remark or loathsome word. Just silence.

_Damn._ And with that one-worded thought, he bolted.

-.-

Honoka, from her secluded place in the air vent, quietly crawled away until she returned to one of the empty rooms. She opened the grate, dropped down onto a couch, and sat there quietly for a minute. Before bursting into laughter.

_I was right!_ The sly sister of Kenichi Shirahama had it all figured all out. _Ah, I'm so glad I met Pretty Boy._ All of those times she suggested that he be friends with her brother…it was finally paying off.

She stopped laughing and relaxed, over her silly fit of hilarity. _Ah, but he ran away._ Oh, well. She'd have to fix that the next time she got a chance to leave the two alone. Then an idea hit her late and she sighed. _Shoot. Shoulda gotten that on camera._


End file.
